Watch-winding indicator.



No. 798,884. PATENTBD SEPT. 5, 1905. c. E. DE LoNG.

WATCH WINDING INDICATOR.

APPLIGATION FILED :u1u: 15,1804.

lahm l wus 50,. mom-mm". vimini. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIOE.

ASSIGNOR TO FRED MCINTYRE, OF

TERRITORY.

SOUTH MCALESTER, INDIAN WATCH-WINDING INDICATOR.

Specicaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 5, 1905.

Application iiled June 15,1904. Serial No. 212,724.

To all roh/0711,' t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES E. DE LONG, a citizen oi' the United States,residing at South McAlester, Indian Territory, have invented a certainnew and useful Improvement in Wvinding-Indicators for Watches, ot' whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as willenable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming partof this specification, in which- Figure l is a top plan view of theindicatortrain and the ratchet of a time-train which cooperatestherewith. Eig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through theratchet and the arm carrying the gear for imparting reverse motion tothe indicator-train. Eig. 3 is a top plan view of a portion of theindicator-train, part of the ratchet being broken away to indicate themanner in which the actuating-arm is attached thereto. Eig. A is afragmentary view of one of the intermediate gears and the hollow arborsurrounding the seconds-hand arbor. Eig. 5 is avertical longitudinalsectional view through the mechanism about the seconds-hand arbor. Eig.6 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View throughtheindicator-train,the arbors beingillustrated in elevation; and Fig. 7is a view in elevation of a watch constructed in accordance with myinvention.

This invention relates to an improvement in timepieces; and itisparticularly applicable to use in connection with watches.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an attachment whichwill constantly indicate the extent to which the mainspring of thetimepiece is wound, so that an observer may know not only when thespring is fully wound or when it is run down, but also the extent towhich it is wound at any particular moment, the number of hours whichhave elapsed since rewinding, and when it will require rewinding.

It is the particular -purpose oi' this invention to adapt theimprovement to watches as they are now generally constructed.

It is also the purpose of this invention to provide an indicating meanswhich may be operated by a very slight expenditure of power on the partof the usual train or movement to adapt it for application withoutchanging the movement in other respects and to avoid interferencethereby with the usual action of the other parts. To this end I providethe indicator element, which is actuated by suitable means cooperatingwith the winding device, so that the act of winding the mainspringcauses the indicator element to be actuated in such a manner that itindicates the extent to which the windingis carried. I preferablyarrange the indicator element to cooperate with a graduated scale, sothat the winding of the mainspring will cause the indicator clement tomove over or pass a graduated scale. As the mainspring runs down theindicator element will receive motion through suitable intermediategearingfrom the barrel, so that it will gradually be moved backward overthe scale toward its original position, indicating the progress of theunwinding action. As certain gearing necessary to transmit motion fromthe ratchet to the indicator-train is unnecessary Yfor transmitting thereverse motion from the barrel to the indicator, provision is made forthrowing such needless gearing automatically out of action as soon asthe act of winding ceases or to such a point as would indicate that thewatch has been rewound. In fact, provision is made for automaticallyreleasing the motion-transmitting gearing from the ratchet as soon asthe winding ceases. This automatic disconnection is best secured bypermitting a slight retrograde of the ratchet at the end of the windingaction through the medium of the principle of a yielding pawl, which hasbeen in use for many years on iine watches to prevent straining themainspring, the retrograde motion having the effect ot' automaticallycarrying the actuating-gear out of engagement with the gear or gears otlthe indicator-train.

Referring now to the drawings by numerals oi' reference, the numeral ldesignates the usual barrel, and 2 designates the arbor therefor.Carried by the arbor and illustrated as being secured on the head 3thereof is a ratchet 4C, having an undercut hub 5, surrounding which isa yielding split collar 6, terminally secured or formed on one end of aswinging arm 7. The collar is so constructed that under normalconditions its binding tendency will be sufficient to cause it tofrictionally engage the undercut hub, so that a movement of the ratchetwill impart a movement to the arm. Any resistance to the arm, however,sufficient to arrest its movement will IOO permit the ratchet to rotateirrespective thereof, as will be explained hereinafter.

Carried by the arm 7 is a compound gearwheel 8, having two sets ofteeth, (designated as 9 and 10, respectively.) The smaller number ot'teeth actas pinion-teeth and mesh with the peripheral teeth on theratchet. These teeth 9 are at all times in engagement with those on theratchet, while the larger number of teeth (designated as 10) are onlyperiodically in engagement with the teeth on one of the wheels of theindicator-train. The compound gear 11 is iixed on an arbor 12 androtates therewith. This arbor has a bearing at 13 in the top plate ot'the timepiece and a bearing 14 in the bottom plate. Interposed betweenthe top and bottom plates of the timepiece and frictionally sleeved uponthe arbor 12 is a slippinion 15. This pinion is provided with dependingyielding walls the ends of which are capable or' engaging the groovedportion 16 of the arbor 12, so that under normal conditions said pinionwill move with the arbor; but under abnormal conditions the arbor iscapable of moving' independently of any movement of the pinion. Thisslip-pinion is in mesh with the teeth of the barrel-gear and is sodisposed that the rotation ot the barrel will impart movement to thepinion, causing the arbor to rotate, carrying with it the compound gear11. The gear 11 is provided with two sets ot' teeth, (designated by thenumerals 17 and 18, respectively.) Those designated by the ret'-erence-numeral 17 are designed to mesh with the teeth 19 on anintermediate gear 20, which is carried by an arbor 21 in the bottomplate of the watch. This arbor 21 has a reduced portion 22, on which istixedly secured a pinion 23, while the gear 2O is only it'rictionallyheld to said arbor. As indicated in Fig. 6, the gear 2O rests upon theflange 24; of the arbor 21, and interposed between the gear 2O and thepinion 23 is a tension plate or disk 25, the resiliency of which issuilicient to hold the gear 20 in frictional engagement with the arbor21 under normal conditions. However, when subjected to undue strain thegear 2O may rotate irrespective of the arbor or its pinion. Theindicator-wheel 26 is in mesh with the pinion 23 and is provided with ahub 27, revolubly mounted upon a hollow arbor 28, carried by a plate 29,fixed to the bottom plate of the timepiece. This hollow arbor 28 isconcentric with and surrounds the secondshand arbor, (designated by thereference-numeral 30,) on which the seconds hand 31 is secured. The hub27 of the indicatorwheel 26 is beneath the seconds-hand and carries anindicating element, illustrated as a pointer 32, which is disposed in adepression or recess 33 in the dial 34. Above the depression is agraduated scale indicating the seconds, while in the loor thereof thegraduated scale is arranged to cooperate with the indicating-hand, so asto designate the winding condition of the mainspring or, in other words,to clearly show the number of hours elapsing since the timepiece hadbeen wound and the number of hours which it yet had to run. By providingthe indicating' element in axial alinement with the arbor oi' thesecondshand the indicator can be readily observed and theindicating-wheel may be conveniently positioned within the watehcasewithout interfering with the remainder of the works.

n Fig. 3 I have illustrated two positions ot' the swinging arm 7. Thenormal position is shown in full lines, while the dotted lines indicatethe abnormal position, or the position which the arm assumes temporarilywhile the indicator is being returned or, in other words, while thewatch is being wound. As heretofore stated, the arm is frietionallysecured to the hub of the ratchet, so that the initial movement of theratchet in winding the watch will carry the arm toward theindicator-train until the arm assumes the position indicated in dottedlines. The terminal projection 35 on the arm is designed to abut againstthe shoulder 36 in the plate when the initial winding movement of theratchet takes place, so that the teeth of the meshing gears will bepermitted to come into operative engagement, but their intermeshingcontact will only be such as to permit one to rotate the other, theteeth ol the respective gears being spaced by this projection so thatthey will loosely engage, and any tendency to bind will be avoided. Thenthe operator begins to wind the timepiece, the arm and the compound gearcarried thereby will be caused to assume the position indicated indotted lines in Fig. 3, and inasmuch as the smaller set of teeth on thegear 8 is continuously in mesh with the teeth ol the ratchet the initialrotative movement of the ratchet will impart a rotative movement to thegear 8, and as soon as the arm has moved over to the position indicatedin dotted lines the teeth 1() on the gear 8 will mesh with the teeth 18on the gear 11 to cause its rotation. The teeth 18 on the gear 11 beingconstantly in mesh with the teeth 19 on the gear 20, a rotary movementto this gear will be imparted, the friction of the tension device beingsuch that a rotary movement will be imparted to the arbor 21 and to thepinion 22, carried thereby. As a result the teeth on the pinion 23 beingin mesh with the teeth on the indicatorwheel a retrograde movement willbe imparted to the indicator-wheel, so that the indicator will be movedtoward Zero or toward the starting-point. As soon as the operator ceasesto wind the timepiece it is necessary that the operating-gear 8 bethrown out of engagement with the indicator-train. This is permitted andaccomplished by means or' the spring-pressed pawl 37 which is providedwith an elongated slot 38, through which the pin 39 projects. Theelongated slot in the pawl permits the retrograde movement of IOO theratchet for at least a distance equal to the length of the slot, so thatat each relaxation of the winding of the mainspring the gear 8 isautomatically thrown out of engagement with the indicator-train. Afterthe timepiece has been wound and the indicator moved to thestarting-point a movement will be imparted to the indicator-wheel tomove the indicator a distance commensurate with the amount of travelofthe barrel d ue to the running down of the mainspring. rIhis movementwill be imparted through the medium of the gear on the barrel, whichmeshes with the slip-pinion l5 on the arbor l2. The teeth l0 on the gearS are in excess of theteeth 18 on the gear l1. rIhe reason for this isto insure the return of the indicator-hand to Zero when the mainspringis wound. Otherwise the engagement and disengagement of theactuating-wheel with the complementary gear of the train might not causethe hand to be returned to zero. As the arbor is rotated the gear 11will have a movement imparted thereto in a direction reverse to thatimparted during the winding movement, which movement will becommunicated to the indicator-wheel through the medium of the trainheretofore described. The gear 26 is constructed with a sufcient numberof teeth to cause the indicator to travel to Zero,.or itsstarting-point, but not move beyond the same. The passing of theindicator beyond the starting-point is prevented by leaving a portion ofthe wheel toothless,` as indicated at 40. For example, suppose theindicator has reached the Zeropoint and the mainspring has not yet beencompletely wound. The toothless porton 40 in the wheel will cause thepinion 23 to remain stationary, while the rest of the indicatortrainwill be permitted to rotate with the ratchet, as explained below, untilthe complete winding has been effected. As soon as the winding has beencompleted and the actuating gear-wheel 8 has been released from thetrain the forward movement of the indicatorwheel will commence.

The only radical departure from the ordinary watch is that the ratchetis somewhat larger in proportion to the time-train than the ratchetusually employed. In order that the ratchet may readily be applied toand detached from the rectangular portion of its arbor, thecrown-wheel4l of the winding-train is lowered in the plate so that itsperiphery will pass beneath the ratchet and so that each element mayreadily operate without interfering with the other. Of course it is tobe understood that I prefer to utilize an indicator pointer or hand inconnection with this indicator-wheel; but I also reserve the right toplace suitable characters on the wheel, and by providing an opening inthe dial, so that these characters will be exposed to View, I maydispense with the hand. I also reserve the right to make such otherchanges or alterations in this invention such as relate to form,proportion, and minor details of construction and without departing fromthe spirit of the invention or sacrificing any of the advantagesthereof. Attention is also directed to the fact that I prefer to employline teeth on the gears 8 and 11. These teeth besides being tine arepointed, this beingl a distinct departure from the coarse spur-gearsused in previous constructions of watches, and the advantage of soarranging these teeth is that the teeth on the opposing gears willautomatically engage and disengage in amore efficientmanner than wouldgears having broad tlat teeth.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

1. In a winding-indicator for watches, the combination with abarrel-arbor, a ratchetwheel 4 arranged thereon of a swinging armfrictionally mounted on said barrel-arbor, a compound gear mounted onsaid arm, and in constant mesh with said ratchet-wheel 4, awinding-indicator train including a slip-pinion which is in constantmesh with the timetrain, whereby the down movement is communicated fromthe time-train to the winding-indicator train, and means whereby whenthe watch is wound the compound gear engages the winding-indicator trainand moves the same on its up movement, the slip-pinion in saidwinding-indicator train permitting such reverse drive; substantially asdescribed.

2. In a winding-indicator for watches, the combination with aspring-barrel, of a ratchetwheel 4 in the form of a gear, an arbor forsaid spring-barrel and u pon which said ratchetwheel is arranged, an armmounted on said arbor and carrying a compound gear at its end, oneportion of which is in constant mesh with the ratchet-wheel 4, and theother portion of which is provided with tine teeth, a time-train drivenby the spring-barrel, a windingindicator train normally driven by thetime-train for driving' an indicator-hand operating over the face of awinding-indicator dial, a compound gear in the winding-indicator train,one portion of which is in constant mesh with said train and the otherportion of which is provided with fine teeth adapted to mesh with theline-toothed portion of the firstmentioned compound gear, a slip-pinionin the winding-indicator train, and means whereby when the watch iswound the fine-toothed portions of said compound gears are thrown intomesh so that the indicator mechanism is actuated in a direction oppositeto that in lwhich it is driven when receiving motion from thetime-train; substantially as described.

3. In a winding-indicator forwatches, the combination with aspring-barrel and its ratchet in the form of a gear, an arbor for saidspring-barrel, an arm carrying a compound gear at its end, one portionof which is IOO IIO

in constant mesh with the ratchet-gear of the spring-barrel and theother portion ot' which is provided with line teeth, a time-train drivenby the spring-barrel, a winding-indicator train normally driven by thetime-train for driving an indicator-hand operating over the face o't' awinding-indicator dial, means for arresting the winding-indicator handat Zero position, said means permitting the winding-indicator train toreceive further motion, in the act of winding the watch, withoutdisturbing the position of said indicator-hand` a compound gear in thewinding-indicator train, one portion of which is in constant mesh withsaid train and the other portion of which is provided with line teethadapted to mesh with the tine-toothed portion ot' the first-mentionedcompound gear, a slip-pinion in the windingindicator train, and meanswhereby when the Watch is wound the line-toothed portions of saidcompound gears are thrown into mesh so that the indicator mechanism isactuated in a direction opposite to thatin which it is driven Whenreceiving motion from the time-train; substantially as described.

4f. A winding-indicator for watches having a slip-pinion trictionallyengaging its arbor and in mesh with the barrel-teeth of the watch,whereby the pinion may rotate indeliendcntly of the arbor, and anintermediate pinion for the train fixed on the arbor, said arbor'frictionally engaging the slip-pinion; substantially as described.

5. A winding-indicator for watches including a slip-pinion in engagementwith the teeth of the barrel of the watch, an arbor on which theslip-pinion is frictionally mounted, a pinion on one end of the arbor, asecond arbor, a pinion on the second arbor in direct mesh with theindicator-wheel, and a wheel in lirictional engagement with the pinionand in constant engagement with the remainder ot' the indicator-train;substantially as described.

In testimony whereotl 1 hereunto aHiX my signature, in the presence oftwo witnesses, this 20th day of May, 1904:.

CHARLES E. DE LONG. lVitnesses:

B. F. FUNK, GEORGE BAKEWELL.

